COOLA SPF 30 Matte Finish Cucumber for Face

Hey everyone, finally the sun is coming out and brightening our environment with its rich goodies. I was recently introduced, by a lovely friend, to her favorite mineral moisturizer that also protects you from the sun (how awesome is that). It has everything that we all need in a daily SPF.

Naturally enhanced chemical free sunblock with a silky matte finish.
Plus, COOLA uses a proprietary method to maximize the effectiveness of their suncare products. The updated formula features two active ingredients—titanium and zinc dioxide—suspended in a moisturizing base to ensure a smooth, even application. Age-reversing antioxidants like evening primrose extract and borage seed oil deflect free radicals, while naturally water-resistant plankton makes the formula extra-durable.

How to Use:  Smooth on a thin coat all over your face. Follow with makeup, or wear alone. (I find it also evens out my skin tone)

Get it now here.

Prime time: 6 tips for beating summer shine

By Well+Good NYC

Everyone’s obsessed with ‘getting the glow,’ says Jessa Blades, a makeup artist who stocks her kit with all-natural products. But in summer it comes pretty naturally. “Skin’s more hydrated this time of year,” she says. “And even if you use sunscreen, heat naturally boosts color in your skin.” In some cases, so much so that attention turns from keeping your natural summer flush from turning into an wanted summer flash flood.

How to defeat the melty, drippy feeling of unwanted shine?

“Use less cream-based moisture for one,” says Blades, who recommends stashing your face and eye creams in the fridge, along with a hydrosol mist. “Sometimes in summer your face almost feels swollen. Applying cool creams in the morning and spraying your face with a chilled hydrosol feels amazing.” It can help rein in the puffy feeling and help makeup sit, not slide, down your skin.

Blades gives us six recommendations and tips for getting unwanted summer shine to submit:

Sunscreen
Keys Soap Solar Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30
“I love this product because it works as a light moisturizer too, which is great for summer,” says Blades. It’s one of the safest, most effective sunscreens on the market, according to the Environmental Working Group, and Consumer Reports calls it one of the most effective broad-spectrum sunblocks.

Mattifying powder
Jane Iredale Beyond Matte
“This new long-lasting powder has medium coverage and really absorbs oil,” says Blades. It comes in four colors including translucent, which Blades especially suggests for summer. “When you do mid-day touch ups, you don’t get too much color layered on. Apply it all over with a powder brush or just touch up your T-zone and forehead to prevent shine.”

Keep reading for 4 more here…

5 fun and effective outdoor workouts you can do anywhere

By Jessie Knadler for Prevention.com

Maybe it’s the sweat factor, but some women assume that a summertime stroll qualifies as a workout. No question, walking is a fitness fundamental, especially during the workweek. But why not try more invigorating and challenging fun workouts on the weekend?

Outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, and inline skating allow you to reap up to six times more fat-blasting, body-shaping benefits than cruising around the neighborhood on foot. And you don’t have to be a hard-core athlete or fitness freak to get the most out of the five we’re suggesting. Top off your normal weekday exercise routine with one of these exhilarating weekend activities to get fit and firm–fast!

Weekend 1: Kayaking
Calories Burned: 340 per hour

Body Benefits: A sculpted upper body. “Pulling the paddle against the water is great resistance,” says 29-year-old Michelle Christensen of Baltimore, who spends summer weekends kayaking around the Chesapeake Bay. “You target your shoulders, triceps, biceps, back, and core.”

Weekend Benefits: It’s like meditating on water, says Rhett Pruitt, a 34-year-old raft guide and recreational kayaker in Long Creek, SC. She opts for tranquil sea kayaking over exhilarating white water when she’s craving peace and quiet. “Sea kayaking is not intimidating,” she says. “You’re just inches above the water–the perfect vantage point for taking in the abundant wildlife and sea life that you would never see otherwise.”

Word to the Wise: Beginners should use an open kayak–or take a lesson to learn how to escape the kayak first.

Your Destination: For breathtaking scenery, consider a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. To find local instructors, go to Kayak Online.

Keep reading for four more outdoor workouts…

The 5 hottest surfboards for summer

By Well+GoodNYC

Surfing used to be only for bleached blonde, perpetually-shirtless, and decidedly serious surfers.

But over the past few summers in New York, it’s seriously caught a wave. And it seems like everyone is hopping on a board—whether in the water or in a fitness studio.

“More people want to take up the sport right now,” says Global Surf Industries Northeast rep Ed Gerbino, whose domain includes the Hamptons and the Jersey Shore. “Beginner lessons and surf-board rentals are definitely up right now, because it’s more for fitness and fun.”

And surfboard manufacturers have taken note, creating thicker, wider boards that are easier to stabilize, and are therefore super beginner-friendly.

Ready to paddle out? We asked Gerbino to share the 5 hottest boards for summer, and he offered picks for every surfer under the sun—from the newbie surfer to the serious sport-focused. —Lisa Elaine Held

FOR THE ECO-CHIC SURFER CHICK

The NSP Coco Mat Fish is made with natural coconut husk fibers, which give it an eco-chic look that will go beautifully with your floppy hat. The husks are a byproduct of the coconut industry, says Gerbino, so this board isn’t doing any green-washing while riding the waves. Its light, strong design makes it suitable for beginners, although more advanced surfers won’t mind this board’s perks a bit.

FOR THE FIRST-TIME WAVE RIDER

Gnaraloo’s Softshell and Fatty boards have a whimsical, kid-friendly appeal, and for good reason. “They’re both geared towards pure beginners—the first-time adult or the kid who just wants to go down to the beach and have fun and be safe,” says Gerbino. They’re extra thick and wide for stability and have higher buoyancy to make paddling out easier. And the soft surface protects you from serious bruising if you face plant the first time out.

FOR THE TECH-OBSESSED

Brand-new Australia-based brand Haydenshapes makes a line of boards that incorporate totally new technologies. The high-performance “future-flex” system allows the board to flex and twist from tip to tip. It’s the gold standard for the advanced surfer who’s forward-thinking and just has to try the next big thing.

Keep reading for 2 more here…

How to apply sunscreen (and how not to)

By Well+GoodNYC

Sunscreen is kind of like toothpaste. If you don’t use enough—or use it incorrectly—it’s just not going to work. Only instead of gum disease and cavities, you’re leaving yourself open to premature aging (wrinkles, sagging, and melanin deposits caused by sun exposure) or worse, skin cancer.

While no sunscreen is 100 percent effective at blocking ultraviolet (UV) rays, many sunburns are caused by faulty or infrequent application.

About 100 percent of dermatologists say that most people don’t follow the directions right on the bottle to re-apply sunscreen regularly. (And using last season’s sunblock or one reaching its expiration date is not a great idea either.)

By wearing sunscreen correctly—and daily, you’ll not only help prevent scorching your skin, you’ll also help prevent sun damage, lessening your dependence on those skin repairing or anti-aging beauty products.

Here are 8 easy tips for applying sunscreen:

1. Lay it on thick. Use a tablespoon of sunscreen (of at least an SPF 25) on your face, and about two ounces for your body. Unless you slather on a thick layer, you’re probably just getting an SPF 10 out of your SPF 30.

2. Dot sunscreen directly onto your face—instead of squeezing a giant blob onto your hands and applying it. I’ve found this technique helps it absorb more quickly and evenly.

3. Put sunscreen on first, then your moisturizer. Best to get it right on your clean, dry skin. However, this is less important if you use a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sunscreen. We’ll explain why in a minute.

4. Use sunscreen daily. The majority of sun exposure is casual and incidental, meaning you get it walking to the subway or to get lunch or through your office window, say dermatologists.

Keep reading for 4 more here…

5 summer grilling tips (for veggies, fish, and tofu!) from Emeril Lagasse

By Mandy Oaklander for Prevention.com

At last, it’s open-flame season, and who better to celebrate with than renowned chef Emeril Lagasse? We went to the cookout king’s New York City kitchen for a feast of his grilled classics—including his brick-grilled organic chicken—and got the scoop on what it takes to grill like Emeril. Check it out:

1. What’s a healthy—but still delicious—grilling recipe?
Start with snapper, redfish, or grouper. Leave the skin on and brush and season it. Put it skin side down and don’t touch it. Add sliced lemon and herbs, and use a fish spatula so it doesn’t fall apart. It’s so simple, but it’s so delicious.

2. What’s a big mistake people make when it comes to grilling fish?
They set their grill too hot, and they don’t let their protein warm up. Take your protein out of the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Brushing it with oil on both sides and seasoning it is the key.

Keep reading for 3 more tips…